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Study Resource: Question word + も (mo)

By: Mayumi Ito

When we add も transcribed mo after a question word, we get an expression with an all or nothing meaning like “everywhere” or “nowhere.” To create a negative sentence with a question word + も transcribed mo, we must also negate the verb. Some question words can only be used with も transcribed mo in negative sentences.

Affirmative SentencesNegative Sentences
なにも
Transcription: nani mo
❌

(not) anything; nothing

霧でなにも見えない。
Transcription: Kiri de nani mo mienai.
Translation: I can’t see anything due to the fog.
だれも
Transcription: dare mo
❌

(not) anyone; no one; nobody

この部屋にはだれもいない。
Transcription: Kono heya ni wa daremo inai.
Translation: No one is in this room.
いつも
Transcription: itsu mo

always

メイちゃんはいつも元気だ。
Transcription: Mei chan wa itsumo genki da.
Translation: Mei is always full of energy.

never

姉はいつも朝ごはんを食べない。
Transcription: Ane wa itsumo asagohan o tabenai.
Translation: My elder sister never eats breakfast.
どこも
Transcription: doko mo

everywhere

金曜日の夜はどこも混んでいる。
Transcription: Kin’yōbi no yoru wa doko mo kondeiru.
Translation: On Friday nights, it’s crowded everywhere.

(not) anywhere; nowhere

もうどこも痛くない。
Transcription: Mō doko mo itakunai.
Translation: It doesn’t hurt anywhere now.
どちらも
Transcription: dochira mo

both

どちらもおいしいですよ。
Transcription: Dochira mo oishii desu yo.
Translation: Both of them are tasty, you know.

neither

どちらもまだいらしていません。
Transcription: Dochira mo mada irashite imasen.
Translation: Neither of them have come yet.
どれも
Transcription: dore mo

everything; all of them

どれも同じに見える。
Transcription: Dore mo onaji ni mieru.
Translation: They all look the same.

(not) any of them; none of them

どれも気に入らない。
Transcription: Dore mo ki ni iranai.
Translation: None of them are to my taste.
どうも
Transcription: dō mo

somehow

今回はどうもやめておいた方がよさそうだ。
Transcription: Konkai wa dō mo yameta hō ga yosasōda.
Translation: This time it somehow seems as if I better refrain from doing it.

somehow

今日はどうも調子がでない。
Transcription: Kyō wa dōmo chōshi ga denai.
Translation: Somehow I’m not on top form today.
どうしても
Transcription: dōshite mo

at any cost; by all means

その会にはどうしても出たい。
Transcription: Sono kai ni wa dōshite mo detai.
Translation: I want to attend the meeting at any cost.

no matter what

どうしても悪い癖が治らない。
Transcription: Dōshite mo warui kuse ga naoranai.
Translation: No matter what (I do), I can’t fix my bad habits.